Han E.H. Meijer, Professor of Polymer Technology and Scientific
Director of the Research School Eindhoven Polymer Laboratories at the
Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands, has been
awarded the DSM Performance Materials Award 2010 in recognition of his
exceptional contributions to the advancement of the materials
sciences. Professor Meijer is one of the world’s leading scientists in
the field of predicting polymer structuring during processing and the
relation between resulting structure and mechanical performance. His
outstanding fundamental and applied research and his dedication to
innovative science have earned him a high reputation in the academic world.

An international judging committee, chaired by Dr Joseph Put, Chief Technology Officer of DSM, selected Professor Meijer from among the nominations received via a public call for nominations. Professor Meijer received the award – which carries a cash prize of EUR 50,000 – from Dr Put at the IUPAC Macro 2010 Congress in Glasgow, UK, on July 12. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Put said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to honor such a brilliant and dedicated scientist who has made major contributions to the field of polymer processing, polymer mechanical properties and rheology. The judging committee’s choice of Professor Meijer as this year’s award recipient should be seen as a recognition of the continued importance of hardcore materials science.”

Scientific career

Han Meijer (61) was born and raised in Amsterdam, where he received his early education. He graduated in mechanical engineering at the University of Twente, The Netherlands, where in 1980 he obtained his PhD with a thesis on extruder screw theory and new designs for enhanced melting performance under the supervision of the late Professor Jan Ingen Housz.

He started his professional career in basic and explorative research at DSM Research, where he worked from 1980 to 1989 and, among other things, helped to create the continuous solution making and spinning process for the company’s high-performance Dyneema fibers. In 1985 he was appointed visiting professor of Applied Rheology in the department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry at the Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands. In 1989 he accepted the position of full professor of Polymer Technology in the department of Mechanical Engineering at the same university.

Professor Meijer is a highly regarded speaker at conferences and has published more than 175 papers and 22 books and book chapters. He is a member of the Executive Advisory Board of the Macromolecular Journals, and of a number of other editorial boards. He is a member of various scientific advisory committees, including those of ETH Zurich, PMA Lyon and IPC Portugal. Since 1992 he has been chairman of the NRV, the Dutch Society of Rheology. He is a former member of the Executive Committee of the International Polymer Processing Society, of which he was also the president for some years.

At the presentation ceremony in Glasgow, Professor Meijer gave an award lecture entitled ‘Mechanical Performance of Polymers’. Asked for his reaction on receiving the award, he said: “I feel happy and extremely honored, especially when I think of all the international colleagues who are doing at least as good and relevant work. It makes me feel very proud indeed. I am happy that also advanced work on non-hype type of topics is now recognized for its great importance and relevance. I want to dedicate this award to all the members of my excellent research group.”

The award

The DSM Performance Materials Award, which was introduced in 2008, forms part of DSM’s Innovation Awards Program and is presented in cooperation with the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). DSM grants the award every two years in recognition of scientific work that has significantly contributed to the advancement of the materials sciences. The 2008 winner was Professor Craig J. Hawker of the University of California in Santa Barbara, USA.